How about starting 2025 by adopting a digital detox into your routine to relieve anxiety and improve focus? Since it is not possible to stay away from the cell phone and computer for long periods, especially for professional reasons, the proposal is to choose a day of the week on which to keep the screens off. […]
How about starting 2025 by adopting a digital detox into your routine to relieve anxiety and improve focus? Given that it is not possible to stay away from the cell phone and computer for long periods, especially for professional reasons, the proposal is to choose a day of the week on which to keep the screens off. Isn’t this also doable? So try applying this digital detox for just one shift: morning or evening. Gradually, you will be able to extend these intervals and validate detoxification around the clock without screens. If you don’t know where to start, follow these eight tips:
How to take a break from screens
1 – On the day you choose to step away from screens, turn off social media notifications for four, six or eight hours. Give people close to you a phone number to contact you in case of emergency.
2 – Two hours before going to bed, keep your cell phone and notebook away. Choose a hobby to practice at home. Prefer light activities that rest your mind.
3 – In the morning, when you get ready to go to work, dedicate yourself to your routine habits, such as having breakfast or doing physical exercises. Leave your cell phone for later.
4 – In the evening, before going to bed, find a place outside the room to charge your cell phone. This way you eliminate the urge to spy on social media and can relax with more quality.
5 – It’s time to enhance your sporting or artistic skills. What do you think about swimming? Or start dancing? If you remain enchanted by the offline world, it will be easier to control your excessive attachment to screens.
6 – Practicing meditation is a powerful tool against anxiety. It only takes a few minutes a day to incorporate this activity into your routine. Listening to soft music also soothes the senses: try it!
7 – Filter the people you usually follow on social media. The best option is to only follow those who post content that is of value to you. Irrelevant stimuli waste your energy unnecessarily: think about it!
8 – Note your progress as you practice digital detox. Record what you did and what you felt while away from screens. Little by little you will notice the benefits of this program for your mental health.
Excessive use of screens reinforces individualism
Spending hours on your cell phone or computer can exacerbate individualism. This was reported by the psychologist and psychoanalyst Maico Costa, professor at the Institute of Education and Research of the Albert Einstein Hospital and coordinator of the Center for the Management of Personal Care at the Faculty of Medicine of the USP (FMUSP). “The person gets used to a relationship centered on himself. Photos, messages and opinions revolve around him, both to affirm his own ideas and to criticize those of others,” he says.
Illusion
The psychologist reiterates that screens “create the illusion of completeness and invulnerability”. For example: when we receive a message with unpleasant content, we pretend not to have seen it or that this content does not concern us, since the digital environment allows this distancing or omission.
“On the other hand, true connections pass through encounters that require authentic responses: through looks, through silence, through gestures or through words”, highlights Maico Costa. In face-to-face interactions there is no way to escape immediate responses, that is, the interlocutor awaits our face-to-face reactions. “These exchanges, with physical presence, offer a precious opportunity to learn from mistakes and teach others, experiencing reality in a genuine way, without disguises or deviations”, concludes the psychologist.
“These exchanges, with physical presence, offer a precious opportunity to learn from mistakes and teach others, experiencing reality in a genuine way”, highlights the psychologist Maico Costa.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
